Laccase from Trametes versicolor was immobilized via the formation of interlinking enzyme aggregates (CLEA). Its free and immobilized enzymes were characterized, and its efficiency was tested via the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution. The resistances against thermal denaturation and pH variations were improved upon immobilization. Although the optimal pH of the enzyme was not modified by immobilization, the latter considerably increased its stability in the pH range of 2.0 to 8.0. The immobilized form was still 50% active after 6 months of storage, while the free form took 1 month to suffer a similar drop in activity. Both free and immobilized T. versicolor laccases were efficient in removing 200 µM BPA from aqueous solutions. The free laccase removed 79% and 92.9% of the compound during the first hour of reaction when 0.1 and 0.2 U were used, respectively. The immobilized form, on the other hand, removed 72% and 94.1% of 200 µM BPA during the first hour of reaction when 0.2 and 0.5 U were used, respectively. The immobilized enzyme allowed seven reuse cycles in the oxidation of ABTS and up to four cycles in the degradation of BPA. The results suggest that the laccase from T. versicolor may be useful in biological strategies aiming at degrading endocrine disruptors, such as BPA.

Microbial enzymes have attracted considerable attention as biocatalysts for plastic transformation, yet the experimental evidence supporting reported biodegradation varies substantially in quality and interpretation. Surface-sensitive techniques, molecular-weight analyses, identification of transformation products, microbial assimilation assays, and carbon-tracking approaches each validate different stages of polymer transformation, but they are often treated as equivalent evidence of biodegradation. This review critically examines the analytical basis of enzyme-mediated plastic and microplastic transformation and introduces the Evidence-Level Framework (ELF), which classifies studies according to the highest experimentally validated transformation endpoint, from microbial colonization (ELF 0) to polymer-derived carbon conversion (ELF 5). Systematic screening identified 102 eligible experimental studies from an initial dataset of 150 publications, all of which were classified using the ELF to provide a comprehensive assessment of the current evidence landscape. Most studies clustered within intermediate evidence levels (ELF 2–3), where analytical validation was limited to polymer chain scission or the detection of soluble transformation products. By contrast, only a small proportion demonstrated microbial assimilation or unequivocal polymer-derived carbon conversion. Hydrolysable polyesters and their associated hydrolytic enzymes consistently reached the highest ELF categories because their chemical structure, enzymatic accessibility, and analytical tractability facilitate validation of successive transformation stages. Conventional plastics, however, remain constrained by polymer recalcitrance, limited substrate accessibility, microbial metabolic capacity, and the scarcity of analytical approaches capable of tracking polymer-derived carbon through biological systems. By providing a common framework for interpreting transformation claims, the ELF establishes objective criteria for experimental design, analytical validation, and comparison across independent studies, offering a stronger foundation for more reproducible, mechanistically robust, and environmentally relevant research on microbial plastic transformation.

Agro-industrial residues have emerged as promising sources of bioactive compounds for dermo-cosmetic applications, particularly as inhibitors of collagenase, elastase, hyaluronidase, and tyrosinase. However, the interpretation of reported inhibitory activities is frequently complicated by variations in extraction strategies, matrix composition, assay design, and methodological rigor. This critical narrative review examines how these factors collectively influence the reliability, comparability, and translational relevance of enzyme inhibition data obtained from residue-derived extracts. The literature was analyzed using a framework-oriented approach based on representative peer-reviewed studies selected according to their methodological quality, experimental design, and mechanistic relevance. The analysis integrates three complementary dimensions: extraction and processing strategies, compositional complexity of the recovered matrices, and evidence quality supporting the reported bioactivities. The reviewed literature demonstrates that enzyme inhibition is rarely an intrinsic property of isolated compounds but rather an emergent behavior arising from complex physicochemical systems in which synergistic interactions, matrix effects, and assay-dependent artefacts frequently influence the observed responses. The widespread reliance on simplified in vitro screening methods, often without dose–response evaluation, kinetic characterization, or adequate control of assay interference, remains a major obstacle to reproducibility and cross-study comparison. Based on this analysis, an integrative framework is proposed to guide the interpretation of enzyme inhibition in complex botanical extracts by explicitly linking process design, matrix composition, and methodological evidence. This perspective provides a more robust basis for the identification, validation, and industrial translation of sustainable bioactive ingredients obtained from agro-industrial residues for next-generation dermo-cosmetic formulations.

Araucaria angustifolia residues arise from a seasonal and geographically dispersed value chain. Brazilian pinhão production increased from 8393 t in 2015 to 13,493 t in 2024, corresponding to a theoretical 2699–2969 t of seed coats based on their 20–22% share of seed mass. No equivalent national inventory exists for sterile bracts or cooking water. Seed coats contain approximately 55% cellulose, 9% hemicellulose, 34% lignin, 7% extractives, and 1.6% ash, while sterile-bract extracts contain phenolics and show relevant DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activities. This review integrates compositional and production data with green extraction, product development, downstream compatibility, logistics, and conservation safeguards. Laboratory studies support phenolic recovery, cellulose and nanocellulose production, active films, cosmetic emulsions, fungal conversion, and adsorbents. However, continuous multiproduct cascades, pilot-scale mass and energy balances, techno-economic assessment, and life-cycle assessment remain unavailable. The proposed cascading framework distinguishes validated operations from prospective integration routes and identifies modular preprocessing near production centers as a plausible alternative to centralized refining. Residue valorization may strengthen sustainable pinhão value chains but cannot replace habitat protection, restoration, traceability, or responsible seed-harvesting practices.